Putin unveils new Cabinet, retains key ministers

Mon, May 12 09:07 PM

Vinay Shukla Moscow, May 12 (PTI) Vladimir Putin in his new capacity as Russian prime minster today unveiled a revamped cabinet, retaining key ministers in their posts and bringing powerful figures from his previous team to tighten his grip on power despite leaving the presidency. Former prime minister Viktor Zubkov has been appointed first deputy prime minister of the new cabinet with the charge of multi-billion dollar national projects for the development of agriculture and fisheries.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin and Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov retained their job in the new cabinet. Putin became Prime Minister last week after his protege Medvedev assumed the presidency.

The shake-up was announced after Putin, the former KGB veteran, and Medvedev held their first working meeting. The new cabinet in all will have two first vice premiers and three vice premiers.

Two influential figures from Putin's time as president come into the cabinet for the first time. Igor Sechin, who was deputy head of Kremlin administration, and is also head of the oil giant Rosneft, will become another deputy prime minister.

He is seen as a hardliner. The former head of Kremlin administration, Sergei Sobyanin, also becomes a deputy prime minister, as well as government chief of staff.

PTI.

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